Deadline:

December 10, 2018

Disciplines:

Event Date:

June 17, 2019 - June 19, 2019

CEEISA-ISA Belgrade 2019: Call for Proposals

International Relations in the Age of Anxiety

The deadline for paper/panel submissions is December 10, 2018.

The Joint Convention of the CEEISA/ISA will feature a diverse set of panels organized around multiple aspects of the study of international relations. Submissions of papers, panels, and roundtables on any facet of international relations broadly understood are welcomed and encouraged.

We particularly invite submissions in which scholars turn their focus to this year’s convention theme: “International Relations in the Age of Anxiety”.

International Relations as a discipline has much to offer in explaining the current moment of anxiety and crisis in Europe and beyond. From the democratic backsliding and rise of authoritarianism in many previously considered “consolidated democracies” – including many in Central and Eastern Europe - to the surprising strength and durability of populist and far right movements, to the long-lasting consequences of the Great Recession and austerity measures, to the fractures inside the European Union, to the renewed calls for “land swaps” and “territorial exchanges” on the European continent, Europe seems embroiled in one crisis after another.

Some crises are structural – what is the future of NATO, the EU, or other long-standing international institutions and alliances? Are we witnessing the demise of US hegemony? What does the post-hegemonic international system look like? Some are crises of human security – what is the future for millions of Middle Eastern refugees who have escaped brutality and war only to arrive on the shores of Europe, where they are not wanted? What is the human cost of rising global inequality, environmental devastation, climate change and global retrenchment of the state and its replacement by markets?

By focusing on the challenges IR faces in this current moment, this convention encourages papers, panels and roundtables that explore the extent to which International Relations, both as a discipline and as a profession, can begin to offer solutions for overcoming the problems of global insecurity. In particular, we encourage contributions addressing the following questions:

What are the ramifications of political anxiety for world politics? How can the discipline of IR contribute to our understanding of this moment in history?

There is much anxiety about the current liberal international order collapsing. But, is it worth saving? Can we, instead, imagine a different international order that avoids the inequalities, power imbalances, and hypocrisies of the current structures?

What does the moment of anxiety imply for research and teaching? What kinds of insecurities are we experiencing across fields, professions, and disciplines? What is the ethical responsibility of the researcher in this age?

To what extent does IR benefit from a new reengagement with area studies, sociology, psychology, philosophy and history to explore the long arc of institutional, social and cultural change? How do we engage with other disciplines without losing our analytical edge? And what other analytical, methodological, and professional tools we need to fully understand this moment of crisis and insecurity?

Beyond the Call

In addition to the traditional paper, panel and roundtable proposals, the conference will feature two additional program formats.

Professional Development

The purpose of these sessions is for experienced faculty to provide guidance and support to early career researchers and PhD students in several areas of professional development. These sessions will be an opportunity for participants to have drop-in conversations with experienced academics about a range of professional challenges.

In an informal setting, participants can engage in a discussion with established IR scholars on a wide range of questions, such as how to publish in leading journals, how to choose a journal venue, how to write a response memo to reviews, how to prepare abstracts for conferences, how to serve as a conference discussant. Another set of discussions may revolve around teaching: how to prepare a good syllabus, how to teach effectively, how to ensure diversity of perspectives and viewpoints in teaching.

Methods Café

Methods Café gathers scholars working with different methodologies in an informal setting conducive to small group discussions, networking, and mentoring support. We are particularly interested in inviting PhD students who are looking for assistance with any aspect of a research project, as well as faculty who have questions about a particular method they are using in their research. As a café visitor, you may arrive at any point, visit any table you like, and stay as long as you like.